Vertical takeoff and landing pad and interlocking pavers to construct same

ABSTRACT

An interlocking paver system including polygon and spacer pavers. The polygon paver has a longitudinal axis extending from a first to a second side and a transverse axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and extending from a third to a fourth side. The spacer paver has a longitudinal axis extending from a first to a second side and a transverse axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and extending from a third to a fourth side. Both the polygon and spacer pavers are symmetrical about the longitudinal and transverse axes. The spacer paver is configured to selectively interlock with the polygon paver with either of the third or fourth side of the polygon paver adjacent either of the first or second side of the spacer paver and either of the first or second side of the polygon paver adjacent either of the third or fourth side of the spacer paver.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/654,833 titled VERTICALTAKEOFF AND LANDING PAD AND INTERLOCKING PAVERS TO CONSTRUCT SAME filedon Apr. 9, 2018, the entire content(s) of which is/are incorporatedherein by reference

GOVERNMENT INTEREST

The invention described herein was made in the performance of work undera NASA contract NNK11EA08C and by employees of the United StatesGovernment and is subject to the provisions of Public Law 96-517 (35U.S.C. § 202) and may be manufactured and used by or for the Governmentfor governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereonor therefore.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to vertical takeoff and landing pads andto interlocking paver systems and methods used to construct verticaltakeoff and landing pads.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is a concern about the possibility of erosion of regolith below alander on the Moon, Mars, or other extraterrestrial surface. Onetechnique to mitigate this risk of erosion is to robotically build alanding pad that would withstand the exhaust plume from the landingvehicle. However, current paver technology does not have the featuresnecessary to withstand the loads introduced to the landing pad duringvehicle landing or take off. Use of existing paver technology wouldresult in pavers either lifting and being thrown by the plume of thevehicle or allowing the exhaust from the vehicle to enter spaces betweenpaver seams and erode the regolith underneath the landing padconstructed from the pavers. Therefore, there exists a need for a paverthat could be used to construct a landing pad that would stay in placeand prevent erosion of the underlying regolith.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the above in mind, embodiments of the present invention are relatedto an interlocking paver system including a polygon paver and a spacerpaver. The polygon paver may have a longitudinal axis extending from afirst side to a second side of the polygon paver and a transverse axisorthogonal to the longitudinal axis and extending from a third side to afourth side of the polygon paver. The spacer paver may have alongitudinal axis extending from a first side to a second side of thespacer paver and a transverse axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axisand extending from a third side to a fourth side of the spacer paver.Both the polygon and spacer pavers may be symmetrical about thelongitudinal axis and the transverse axes. The spacer paver may beconfigured to selectively interlock with the polygon paver with eitherof the third or fourth side of the polygon paver adjacent either of thefirst or second side of the spacer paver and either of the first orsecond side of the polygon paver adjacent either of the third or fourthside of the spacer paver.

Either or both of the polygon and spacer pavers may be monolithic and/orformed from regolith. Either or both of the polygon paver and the spacerpaver may be formed by heating regolith above an ambient temperature.

The polygon paver may include a top level and a bottom level. The toplevel may have a perimeter. The bottom level may have a perimeter andmay be secured to and centered with respect to the top level. Theperimeter of the top level may extend outwardly of the entirety of theperimeter of the bottom level. The perimeter of the top level of thepolygon paver may be an octagon.

The perimeter of the bottom level of the polygon paver may be arectangle having a first recessed notch centered on the third side ofthe polygon paver, a second recessed notch centered on the fourth sideof the polygon paver, a first protrusion centered on the first side ofthe polygon paver, and a second protrusion centered on the second sideof the polygon paver.

The spacer paver may include a top level and a bottom level. The toplevel may have a perimeter. The bottom level may have a perimeter and besecured to and centered on the top level. The perimeter of the bottomlevel may extend outwardly of the entirety of the perimeter of the toplevel.

The top level of the spacer paver may include an elongate centerportion, a first isosceles trapezoid extension portion, and a secondisosceles trapezoid extension portion. The elongate center portion mayhave a first and opposing second end parallel to the first and secondsides of the spacer paver. The first isosceles trapezoid extensionportion may be adjacent the first end of the elongate center portion.The second isosceles trapezoid extension portion may be adjacent thesecond end of the elongate center portion.

The perimeter of the bottom level of the spacer paver may be a rectanglehaving a first recessed notch centered on the third side of the spacerpaver, a second recessed notch centered on the fourth side of the spacerpaver, a first protrusion centered on the first side of the spacerpaver, and a second protrusion centered on the second side of the spacerpaver.

Each recessed notch of the polygon paver may be configured to receiveeither of the protrusions of the spacer paver. Each recessed notch ofthe spacer paver may be configured to receive either of the protrusionsof the polygon paver.

The interlocking paver system may include at least four polygon pavers.The first side of the first polygon paver may be configured to interlockwith the third side of the spacer paver. The second side of the secondpolygon paver may be configured to interlock with the fourth side of thespacer paver. The third side of the third polygon paver may beconfigured to interlock with the first side of the spacer paver. Thefourth side of the fourth polygon paver may be configured to interlockwith the second side of the spacer paver.

A launch pad may include a plurality of polygon pavers and spacerpavers. The first and second sides of each of the plurality of polygonpavers may be configured to interlock with the third and fourth sides ofeach of the plurality of spacer pavers. The third and fourth sides ofeach of the plurality of polygon pavers may be configured to interlockwith the first and second sides of each of the plurality of spacerpavers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a vertical takeoff and landing padconstructed from polygon and spacer pavers according to an embodiment ofthe invention,

FIG. 2 is top perspective view of the vertical takeoff and landing padof FIG. 1 in a partially constructed configuration.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the partially constructed verticaltakeoff and landing pad of FIG. 2 with a top layer of one polygon paverremoved.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a spacer paver of the verticaltakeoff and landing pad of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the spacer paver of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the spacer paver of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of a polygon paver of the verticaltakeoff and landing pad of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is top plan view of the polygon paver of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the polygon paver of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodimentsof the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied inmany different forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fullyconvey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Those ofordinary skill in the art realize that the following descriptions of theembodiments of the present invention are illustrative and are notintended to be limiting in any way. Other embodiments of the presentinvention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons havingthe benefit of this disclosure. Like numbers refer to like elementsthroughout.

Although the following detailed description contains many specifics forthe purposes of illustration, anyone of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate that many variations and alterations to the following detailsare within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the followingembodiments of the invention are set forth without any loss ofgenerality to, and without imposing limitations upon, the claimedinvention.

In this detailed description of the present invention, a person skilledin the art should note that directional terms, such as “above,” “below,”“upper,” “lower,” and other like terms are used for the convenience ofthe reader in reference to the drawings. Also, a person skilled in theart should notice this description may contain other terminology toconvey position, orientation, and direction without departing from theprinciples of the present invention.

Furthermore, in this detailed description, a person skilled in the artshould note that quantitative qualifying terms such as “generally,”“substantially,” “mostly,” and other terms are used, in general, to meanthat the referred to object, characteristic, or quality constitutes amajority of the subject of the reference. The meaning of any of theseterms is dependent upon the context within which it is used, and themeaning may be expressly modified.

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodimentsof the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied inmany different forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fullyconvey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Those ofordinary skill in the art realize that the following descriptions of theembodiments of the present invention are illustrative and are notintended to be limiting in any way. Other embodiments of the presentinvention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons havingthe benefit of this disclosure. Like numbers refer to like dementsthroughout.

Although the following detailed description contains many specifics forthe purposes of illustration, anyone of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate that many variations and alterations to the following detailsare within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the followingembodiments of the invention are set forth without any loss ofgenerality to, and without imposing limitations upon, the invention.

In this detailed description of the present invention, a person skilledin the art should note that directional terms, such as “above,” “below,”“upper,” “lower,” and other like terms are used for the convenience ofthe reader in reference to the drawings. Also, a person skilled in theart should notice this description may contain other terminology toconvey position, orientation, and direction without departing from theprinciples of the present invention.

Furthermore, in this detailed description, a person skilled in the artshould note that quantitative qualifying terms such as “generally,”“substantially,” “mostly,” and other terms are used, in general, to meanthat the referred to object, characteristic, or quality constitutes amajority of the subject of the reference. The meaning of any of theseterms is dependent upon the context within which it is used, and themeaning may be expressly modified.

An embodiment of the invention, as shown and described by the variousfigures and accompanying text, provides a vertical takeoff and landingpad 103 and an interlocking polygon pavers 101 and spacer pavers 102,which may be used to build the vertical takeoff and landing pad 103 overregolith. The interlocking paver vertical takeoff and landing pad 103design may include a molded solid material with tapered interlockingfeatures interfacing with features of an opposite gender in threeorthogonal directions. The interlocking polygon paver 101 and spacerpaver 102 design may establish a toleranced connection between thepavers 101, 102 locking down 6 degrees of freedom.

The interlocking features of the polygon paver 101 and spacer paver 102design may secure the placement of the pavers 101, 102 of the verticaltakeoff and landing pad 103. Additionally, the pavers 101, 102 may havestaggered assembly features that disrupt the flow of gas through theseams between pavers 101, 102.

In one embodiment, the pavers 101, 102 may be constructed from basalt.The pavers 101, 102 may be installed by an autonomous paver layingmachine. The pavers 101, 102 may be constructed from in situ materialavailable on a land mass in outer space prior to arrival of additionalsupplies, including, but not limited to, regolith.

In one embodiment, the paver 100 system may include two types of pavers101, 102. The first paver type may be referred to as a polygon paver 101and the second paver type may be referred to as a spacer paver 102. Boththe polygon paver 101 and the spacer paver 102 may be of a monolithicconstruction and have a top level and a bottom level with distinctperimeter outlines. The polygon paver 101 may have a top level 104 and abottom level 105. The spacer paver 102 may have a top level 106 and abottom level 107.

Both the polygon paver 101 and spacer paver 102 may be symmetrical aboutboth a longitudinal and a transverse axis. The bottom level 105 of thepolygon paver 101 may interlock with the bottom level 107 of the spacerpaver 102 and lay in the same plane as the bottom level 107 of thespacer paver 102. The top level 104 of the polygon paver 101 mayinterlock with the top level 106 of the spacer paver 102 and lay in thesame plane as the top level 106 of the spacer paver 102. The perimeterof the top level 104 of the polygon paver 101 may extend past anentirety of the perimeter of the bottom level 105 of the polygon paver101. The perimeter of the bottom level 106 of the spacer paver 102 mayextend past an entirety of the perimeter of the top level 107 of thespacer paver 102. The top level 104 of the polygon paver 101 may rest ona portion of the bottom level 107 of the spacer paver 102 when thepavers 100 are arranged into a vertical takeoff and landing pad 103configuration as depicted at least in FIG. 1.

The top level 104 of the polygon paver 101 may have a perimeter in theshape of an equilateral octagon. Every other side of the top level 104of the polygon paver 101 may be positioned adjacent to and offset from aside of the top level 104 of another polygon paver 101 when the pavers100 are configured as a vertical takeoff and landing pad 103. The toplevel 106 of the spacer paver 102 may be entirely surrounded by fourpolygon pavers 101 when the pavers 100 are configured as a verticaltakeoff and landing pad 103. The perimeter of the top level 106 of thespacer paver 102 may include an elongate center portion 108 with alength equal to the length of one side of the equilateral octagon of thetop level 104 of the polygon paver 101. An isosceles trapezoid extension109 having a base length equal to the length of one side of theequilateral octagon of the top level 104 of the polygon paver 101positioned at either end of the elongate center portion with the base ofthe trapezoid positioned away from the elongate portion.

The bottom level 105 of the polygon paver 101 may have an essentiallyrectangular perimeter with notches 110 formed in two opposing sides andprotrusions 111 extending from the remaining two opposing sides. Thebottom level 107 of the spacer paver 102 may have an essentiallyrectangular perimeter with protrusions 113 extending from two opposingsides and notches 112 formed in the remaining two opposing sides. Thenotches 110 of the polygon paver 101 may be adapted to receive theprotrusions 113 of the spacer paver 102 and the notches 112 of thespacer paver 102 may be adapted to receive the protrusions 111 of thepolygon paver 101.

The polygon paver 101 and spacer paver 102 may be cooperativelyconfigured to allow the pavers 100 to be placed and secured in acheckerboard fashion alternating between polygon paver 101 and spacerpaver 102. The respective notches 110, 112 and protrusions 111, 113 ofthe bottom level 105 of the polygon paver 101 and the bottom level 107of the spacer paver 102 will receive one another when positioned in thischeckerboard fashion.

The pavers 101, 102 may be formed by heating regolith in a ceramic formto 2100° F. and maintaining that temperature for up to 30 hours. Whencooled, the regolith may be removed from the ceramic form and used toconstruct a vertical takeoff and landing pad 103.

Some of the illustrative aspects of the present invention may beadvantageous in solving the problems herein described and other problemsnot discussed which are discoverable by a skilled artisan.

While the above description contains much specificity, these should notbe construed as limitations on the scope of any embodiment, but asexemplifications of the presented embodiments thereof. Many otherramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of thevarious embodiments. While the invention has been described withreference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents maybe substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope ofthe invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt aparticular situation or material to the teachings of the inventionwithout departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it isintended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodimentdisclosed as the best or only mode contemplated for carrying out thisinvention, but that the invention will include all embodiments fallingwithin the description of the invention. Also, in the drawings and thedescription, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of theinvention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they areunless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only andnot for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore notbeing so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. donot denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second,etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, theuse of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, butrather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

This background information is provided to reveal information believedby the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention.No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that anyof the preceding information constitutes prior art against the presentinvention.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A launch pad comprising: a plurality ofpolygon pavers each having a longitudinal axis extending from a firstside to a second side and a transverse axis orthogonal to thelongitudinal axis and extending from a third side to a fourth side,wherein each of the polygon pavers comprises: a top level having anoctagonal perimeter, and a bottom level secured to and centered on thetop level, wherein the bottom level has a rectangular perimeter with afirst recessed notch centered on third side of the polygon paver, asecond recessed notch centered on the fourth side of the polygon paver,a first protrusion centered on the first side of the polygon paver, anda second protrusion centered on the second side of the polygon paver,and wherein the perimeter of the top level extends outwardly of theentirety of the perimeter of the bottom level; a plurality of spacerpavers each having a longitudinal axis extending from a first side to asecond side and a transverse axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axisand extending from a third side to a fourth side, wherein each of thespacer pavers comprises: a top level having a perimeter and comprising:an elongate center portion having a first and second end parallel to thefirst and second sides of the spacer paver, a first isosceles trapezoidextension portion adjacent the first end of the elongate center portion,and a second isosceles trapezoid extension portion adjacent the secondend of the elongate center portion; and a bottom level secured to andcentered on the top level and having rectangular perimeter with a firstrecessed notch centered on the third side of the spacer paver, a secondrecessed notch centered on the fourth side of the spacer paver, a firstprotrusion centered on the first side of the spacer paver, and a secondprotrusion centered on the second side of the spacer paver, and whereinthe perimeter of the bottom level extends outwardly of the entirety ofthe perimeter of the top level; wherein each of the plurality of polygonpavers is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis and the transverseaxis; wherein each of the plurality of spacer pavers is symmetricalabout the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis; and wherein thefirst and second sides of each of the plurality of polygon pavers isconfigured to interlock with the third and fourth sides of each of theplurality of spacer pavers; and wherein the third and fourth sides ofeach of the plurality of polygon pavers is configured to interlock withthe first and second sides of each of the plurality of spacer pavers.